Carton closing machine



April 18, 1967 D. E. BURT CARTON CLOSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1964 E Di I INVENTOR D0 maid E Barf April 18, 1967 D. E. BURT CARTON CLOSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1964 INVENTOR onacZdE B 111 i %M ATTORNEYS April 18, 1967 D. E. BURT 3,314,214

CARTON CLOS ING MACHINE Filed May 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent F 7 3,314,214 CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Donald E. Burt, Boston, Mass., assig'nor to Keyes Fibre Company, Water-ville, Maine, a corporation of Maine Fiied May 26, 1964, Ser. No. 370,231 Claims. c1. ss 1s1 This invention relates to an arrangement for closing cartons on a mass production basis, and more particularly to a machine for closing and locking a variety of molded pulp cartons filled with fragile articles such as eggs.

The popularity in recent years of pocketed egg cartons of molded pulp has created a demand for reliable closing machinery usable with all of the various styles of such cartons currently in use. generally include a one piece structure having a cover with front and rear depending walls and a bottom hinged to the lower margin of the cover rear wall. A locking flap hinged to the front of the bottom is designed to press against the inside of the cover front wall when the carton is closed; cooperating locking elements on the locking flap and the cover front wall engage to lock the carton closed. Difference in structure between various styles of such cartons of this general type are described hereinafter.

Prior to the present invention, closing machines have been proposed for closing very specific styles of such molded pulp cartons of this general type. For instance, Carkhulf on July 15, 1958, patented (US. 2,842,920) a machine for cl-osin and sealing a specific style of egg carton, and thereafter Murnma on Oct. 27, 1959, patented (US. 2,909,880) a similar machine. Both machines, however, are examples of a machine designed to close a spe cific style of molded pulp egg carton, and they have met with only limited success in attempts to close different styles of cartons of this general type which vary somewhat in configuration or structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for closing all the various styles of cartons of the general type referred to which properly aligns the covers and bottoms to insure cooperation of the particular locking elements of whatever design on the cover front wall and the locking flap without the application of vertical forces against the carton.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for closing cartons of the general type referred to wherein locking means is provided for moving the lower margin of the cover front wall laterally inward toward the locking flap hinge to insure proper engagement of the locking elements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for closing cartons of the general type referred to wherein marking means is provided which operates cooperatively with locking means to print on the leading end of longitudinally conveyed cartons without deflecting them from a predetermined path.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for closing different styles of molded pulp cartons of the general type having: a cover with front and rear depending walls; a bottom hinged to the lower margin of the cover rear wall; a locking flap hinged to the bottom to press against the inside of the cover front wall; and, cooperating locking elements on the locking flap and the cover front wall.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carton closing machine of this invention with parts broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 1;

Cartons of the type referred to 3,3l4,2l4 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 "ice FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional elevational view on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with a carton positioned in the machine showing one stage of operation;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional elevational view on line 5-5 of FIG. 3 with a carton positioned in the machine showing another stage of operation;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional elevational view on line 66 of FIG. 3 with a carton positioned in the machine showing another stage of operation;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional elevational view on line 77 of FIG. 3 with a carton positioned in the machine showing another stage of operation;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional elevational view on line 88 of FIG. 3 with a carton positioned in the machine showing another stage of operation;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional elevational view on line 99 of FIG. 3 with a carton positioned in the machine showing a final stage of operation;

FIG. 10 is a sectional elevational view on line 1010 of FIG. 2 showing a carton front wall engaging the marking device;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a carton in the closed condition, with parts broken away;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view on line 1212 of PEG. 10 showing portions of the latch mechanism of a carton; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view on line 13--13 of FIG. 10 showing other portions of the latch mechanism of a carton.

Referring in more particularity to the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 10-13, one form of molded pulp carton adapted to be closed by the machine of this invention is illustrated in detail. The carton disclosed herein for purposes of illustration is one of several styles of currently popular 2 x 6 molded pulp egg cartons, other styles of this general type of egg carton are illustrated in the above-mentioned Carkhuff and Mumma patents; all such cartons may be closed on the machine of this invention. Such a carton 10 comprises a bottom 12 and a cover d4 preferably formed of molded pulp.

The bottom 12 includes a surrounding upstanding side wall 16 with transverse rib structure connecting upstanding posts in a well-known manner to provide a plurality of pockets for positioning fragile articles such as eggs in two parallel rows of six eggs each. A locking flap 18 is hinged at 29 to the upper margin of the front portion of the upstanding wall 16 of the carton bottom 12. The hinge 2! is formed as a creased or folded line in the molded pulp, which maintains inherent resiliency to bias the locking flap 18 outwardly to insure proper latching as explained below. The locking flap 18 is convoluted, as shown in the broken-away portion of FIG. 11, to avoid damaging contact with eggs positioned in the pockets of the bottom 12. Where the locking flap 18 is contoured inwardly between egg locations, locking members are integrally associated therewith. For instance, a pair of protruding locking members 22 are adapted to cooperate with locking apertures in the front wall of the cover 14, and a pair of detent apertures 24 are adapted to cooperate with detent protrusions on the front wall of the cover 14. The latching members 22 are located fairly close to the upper margin of the locking flap 18, while the latching apertures 24 are located adjacent the hinge 20 of the locking flap.

The cover 14 of the carton 10 includes a surrounding and downwardly depending side wall 26 which may include a plurality of vertically extending and inwardly contoured buttress rib portions 28 to afford strength against vertical forces acting on the closed carton. The cover 14 is hinged at 36 to the rear portion of the upstanding wall 16 of the bottom 12. The buttress ribs 28 are positioned to lie between eggs in the pockets when the cover is in the closed condition. The front portion of the depending wall 26 includes a pair of latching apertures 32 which cooperate with the latching protrusions 22 of the locking flap, as well as a pair of depending detent latching protrusions 34 which cooperate with the detent apertures 24 of the locking flap. The apertures 32 are located in a stepped-down portion 36 formed adjacent the upper corner where the cover front wall joins the top portion of the cover. This enables the locking flap 18 to have a. height dimension between the hinge 2i) and top 19 thereof which is substantially less than the height of the cover front wall, as clearly seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, with a resultant saving in pulp material. The detent protrusions 34- protrude below the bottom plane of the depending cover wall 26 and are adapted to be received through the apertures 24 of the locking flap and behind the hinge poriton 29 of the locking flap. This insures that the cover front Wall will not be inadvertantly sprung outwardly with a resultant release of the cooperating latching members 22, 32. Additionally, the lower margin of the dependent front wall of the cover includes a laterally outwardly flanged strengthening lip 38 extending longitudinally of the carton.

The above described elements of the molded pulp carton, including the improved latching arrangement, will be referred to hereinafter when describing the operation of the closing machine of this invention which comprises a main frame 49 which supports in a conventional manner an endless conveyor belt 42, the upper reach of which is adapted to engage the bottoms of cartons and transfer them in end-to-end relation along a generally straight, horizontal path through the machine. The conveyor 42 is driven at the desired speed by conventional drive means such as a belt 44 connected with a power source 46 such as an electric motor positioned on or adjacent the framework of the machine. A pair of side rails 48 .and 59 are positioned to insure proper alignment of the cartons as they are conveyed by the belt 42 through the machine. The side rail 43 is contoured down wardly and outwardly as at 52 at the entrance end of the machine to insure proper engagement with cartons, and the side rail is contoured outwardly as at 54 at the entrance end of the machine for similar reasons.

The path along which the conveyor 42 transfers cartons is directed through a series of closing zones wherein different closing operations are performed on the cartons. The structure for performing such operations includes a number of folding plows or members, positioned adjacent the c-arton path, which are contoured to shift portions of cartons relative to other portions of cartons during travel through the various closing zones. For instance, a medial hold-down member 56 secured to a cantilevered bracket 58 is adapted to engage the upper surface of central upstanding pocket-forming posts of the carton bottoms to insure proper engagement of the cartons with the conveyor belt 42. The trailing end 64 of the holddown member 56 is tapered downwardly to permit closing of the carton covers in successive stages.

A cover closing plow or folding member 66 comprises a generally longitudinally extending rod secured at its leading end to a bracket 68 on the side frame 40 of the machine and at its trailing end to a bracket 76 cantilevered over the central portion of the conveyor belt 42 (see FIGS. 2-3). The cover closing rod 66 is contoured to engage carton covers in their full opened position and swing them about their hinge 30 to overlie the bottom portions of the cartons during progression through the machine.

A locking fiap folding member 72 is secured by brackets 74 to the framework 4-0 adjacent the conveyor belt 42 to engage locking flaps 18 in their fully opened position and swing them upwardly into proper position for latching during progression of cartons through the machine. The leading end 76 of the flap folding member 72 is con toured to define a downwardly sloping surface for initial engagement with locking flaps of cartons. The memb r 72 thereafter is convoluted upwardly through a /4 spiral 78 to incline locking flaps to an upward position. At its mid-portion, the folding member 72 further includes a laterally extending ledge portion St) secured to the substantially vertical body portion thereof in L shaped fashion. The ledge portion 8% is adapted to engage locking flaps of cartons essentially at their hinge line 20 to hold the locking flaps sufiiciently inwardly of the carton bottoms for proper cover closure thereovcr without interfering materially with downward motion of the cover itself as compelled by the cover folding member 66.

A carton guide member 82 which prevents cover misalignment is secured by suitable brackets 84 to the framework as of the machine. The cover guide 82 may take the form of a longitudinally extending bar member which fiares upwardly and outwardly at its leading end 86. The lower surface 88 of the member 82 is adapted to engage the top of the hinge portion 30, while the inner portion 99 of the member 82 is adapted to engage the outer surface of the rear portion of the depending wall of the cover of cartons advancing through the machine. The positioning of the member 82 is such that any tendency of the cover closing bar 66 to exert frictional drag on the cover is overcome. This prevents the front wall of the cover from being misaligned rearwardly of the front wall of the bottom of the cartons, a condition which would prevent proper cooperation of the latching members on the locking flap and the cover front wall.

A latch engaging member 92 includes a vertical mem ber 94 and a horizontal member 96. The vertical mem ber 94 is contoured upwardly and outwardly at 98 at its leading end to engage the lower portions .of the depending front walls of carton covers. The bottom surface 166 engages the outwardly flanged lip portion 38 at the lower margin of the front wall of the carton covers while the inner surface 1 32 is adapted to engage the lower portion of the depending wall of carton covers below the latching apertures 32. The horizontal member 96 is c nt ure upwardly at 164 at its leading end to engage the top of the covers of cartons after the lower portions of the depending front wall have been engaged by the vertical member 94. The vertical member 94 thus insures prop r inward positioning of the cover front wall whereby the detent protrusions thereon will properly engage behind the hinge portion 20 of the locking flap 18 when so compelled by the downwardly inclined horizontal portion 96 of the latch engaging member 92.

It will be noted from a close examination of FIGS. 4-9

tbatthe above described carton closing structure occupies longitudinal zones for performing different closing operations on passing cartons. Such structure is so positioned that each such zone merges with the following zone in a manner which provides full control of the cartons. At no point is a carton riding free on the conveyor without being controlled in one manner or another by the closing struc' t-ure. For instance, it will be noted that at least three of the above described members engage each carton at any point along the closing portion of the machine. For instance, in FIG. 5, the cover closing member 66 1s swinging the cover 14 over the base 12 of a carton. The medial hold-down member 56 insures proper frictional engagement of the carton bottom 12 with the conveyor 42. And, the leading portion 76 of the locking flap folding member '72 is contacting the latching protrusions 22 to swing the locking flap upwardly.

In FIG. 6, the laterally extending ledge portion 88 of the locking flap folding member 72 is engaging. the locking flap below the latching protrusion 22 and above th hinge 20 to effect further closing motion of the locking flap 18. The cover closing member 66 is closing the cover 14 downwardly over the bottom 12 of the carton. While permitting such cover closure, the tapered rear pOrtion e4 of the medial hold-down member 56 continues to insure proper frictional engagement of the carton with the conveyor belt. Before the trailing end of the carton has left the tapered portion 64 of the medial hold-down member, the outwardly and upwardly contoured portion 86 of the cover guide member 82 has engaged the lower portion of the rear cover wall at the leading end of the carton.

In FIG. 7, the laterally extending ledge portion 80 of the locking flap folding member 72 exerts hold-down pressure on the locking flap hinge 20 to insure proper frictional engagement of the carton with the conveyor belt while maintaining the locking flap in a sufiiciently inwardly slanted position to permit cover closure thereover. The cover closing member 66 is imparting the final increment of cover closing motion to the cover 14. Additionally, the inner surface 90 of the cover guide member 82 prevents misalignment of the carton cover which might otherwise be caused by frictional drag occasioned by engagement with the cover closing member 66. Also, the lower surface 88 of the cover guide member 82 exerts hold-down pressure on the cover hinge 30 to additionally insure proper frictional engagement of the carton with the conveyor belt.

In FIG. 8, the cover guide member 82 continues to act on the carton as described immediately above. Before the carton is conveyed beyond the cover closing member 66, the vertical portion 94 of the latch engaging member 92 engages the cover front wall just above the lower marginal lip 33 to insure proper inward positioning of the lower portion of the cover front wall. Shortly thereafter, the upper portion of the cover front wall comes under the influence of the horizontal portion 96 of the latching member 92 which imparts final closing motion to the cover. This final motion causes engagement of the downwardly protruding detents 34 through openings 24 behind the hinge 20 as well as permitting outward springing engagement of the protrusions 22 into the apertures 32 caused by the inherent resiliency of the locking flap 18.

Finally, a marking device may be employed to print identifying indicia such as dates, sizes, grades, color and the like on the cartons as they emerge from the final closing zone of the machine. Such a device 110 is supported by a suitable bracket 112 adjustably secured as at 114 to the framework 49 of the machine. A support member 116 is secured to the bracket 112 for limited adjustability and includes a cantilevered spring attaching arm 113 as well as a trunnion mounting 120. A support arm 122 mounted for to-and-fro oscillatory motion on the trunnion 120 includes a spring attaching portion 124 at its upper end. A coil tension spring 126 is secured between the portion 124 of the arm 122 and the cantilevered spring attaching arm 118 of the support 116 to control swinging of the arm 122. An abutment stop member 128 secured to the support 116 prevents downward swinging of the arm 122 beyond a predetermined point.

On the downwardly extending portion of the arm 122, a marking head 13!) is positioned to print on passing cartons. The head 130 comprises a cup-shaped member 132 having cylindrical wall portions closed at one end by an end member which includes means 134 for mounting the cylinder for rotation about a horizontal axis. The cup-shaped member 132 is advisably fabricated of nonmagnetic material and includes a plate 136 for ferrous metal secured on the cup end wall at a predefined circumferential location spaced from the axis of rotation 134; A permanent magnet 138 secured to the support arm 122 thus insures that the print head 139 is properly oriented when it comes to rest.

Within the cup-shaped drum member 132, a printing device 1413 including type face 142 is releasably secured by suitable fastening means such as a wing nut 144. The printing unit 140 may be removed through the open end of the cup-shaped drum 132 to set the proper date or other indicia thereon. The type face 142 extends through an opening 146 in the cylindrical wall of the drum 132 in proper circumferential relationship to the ferrous metal disc 136 such that it is properly positioned to print on a closed carton when the drum 132 is in its rest position determined by the magnet 138. Additionally, an inking roller 148 is mounted for rotary motion at 150 on the arm 122 to be engaged by the type face 142 on each rotation thereof.

In operation, the carton closing machine of this invention may be operated continuously to close cartons in a high volume mass production environment, such as a large egg packaging house. The conveyor belt 42 is driven continuously by the drive arrangement 44, 46 to convey cartons such as 2 x 6 molded pulp egg cartons in end-toend relationship along a path through a series of closing zones. It will be understood, of course, that other automatic machinery which forms no part of the present invention may be employed to. feed loaded egg cartons in the open position to the entrance end of the machine of this invention. Similarly, otherautomatic machines which form no part of the present invention may be employed to convey closed and coded egg cartons away from the exit end of the machine of this invention.

Following the progress of a single carton through the machine, the bottom surface of such a carton is continually maintained in positive frictional driving contact with the conveyor belt 42 throughout the various closing zones. First, the cover 14, which is in the full open position as illustrated in FIG. 4, comes into contact with the initial or leading end of the cover closing member 66. Continued travel through the machine causes the cover 14 to be swung upwardly, over and then down across the bottom 12 of the carton to the closed position. As the cover comes into contact with the cover closing member 66, the central pocket-separating posts of the carton bottom ride under the medial hold-down plate 55 to maintain the carton bottoms against lateral forces which might be imposed by the cover and flap folding structure. Shortly thereafter, the locking flap 18, which initially is in the full open position as illustrated in FIG. 4, comes into engagement with the flap folding member 72. Thereafter continued motion of the carton through the various closing zones serves to bend the locking fiap 18 upwardly and to an inwardly slanted position which permits proper cover closure thereover.

After the locking flap 18 has been moved to its inwardly slanted position and before the cover 14 has been fully closed downwardly thereover, the lower margin of the rear wall of the cover 14 rides into engagement with the flared end 86 of the guide member 82. Before the trailing end of the car-ton leaves the tapered portion 64 of the medial hold-down member, the lower surface 88 of the cover guide bar 82 cooperates with the laterally extending ledge 89 of the flap folding member 72 to exert holddown pressure on both hinges 30, 24), respectively, of the carton to maintain driving engagement with the conveyor belt 42. By the time the leading end of the carton engages the latching mechanism 92, the trailing end of the carton is held against final latching closure by the ledge 80. As the lip 38 on the lower margin of the cover front wall rides under the lower surface 1% of the vertical member 94, the inner surface 102 of the vertical member 94 creates inward flexing of the lower portion of the cover front wall before final closure forces are directed thereto by the horizontal member 96 of the latching arrangement 92. The cover guide member 82 has prevented the carton cover from being dragged backward to the point where misalignment of the cooperating latching member has occurred. Consequently, as each portion of the carton passes beneath the latching arrangement 92, each detent protrusion 34 enters through the detent opening 24 of the locking flap to its proper position behind the locking flap hinge 20. Similarly, the inherent resiliency of the looking flap and its hinge 20 urges the latching protrusions 22 thereon outwardly into cooperative engagement with latching apertures 32 of the cover front wall. Thus, the only vertical force to which the cart-on is subjected during the closing operation is the final cover closing motion imparted by the slightly downwardly inclined horizontal portion 96 of the closing member 92, which serves only to complete the closing motion and insure proper latching after the detent protrusions 34 are already properly engaged behind the hinge of the locking flap.

Finally, the carton is conveyed forwardly until the leading end of the cover end wall comes into printing engagement with the type face 142 on the rotary print drum 132, where printing takes place. As the carton continues to be driven by the conveyor 42, the print head 130 is swung upwardly about the trunnion mounting 120 to permit passage of the carton therebeneath. Rotary motion imparted by the passing carton to the print head 130 is arrested at the proper degree of angular orientation by the ferrous metal plate 136 aligning itself with the magnet 138 on the support arm 122. As each carton passes beneath the print head 13% the weight of the print head itself causes the arm 132 to properly reposition itselfagainst the stop member 128, with a non-abrupt motion due to the presence of the tension spring 126.

Thus, a carton closing machine has been disclosed which operates to close all cartons of the general type which include latching members on the cover front wall and on a locking flap which is hinged to press against the inside of the cover front wall. The primary moving part is the drive conveyor belt, all the closing members being stationarily positioned adjacent the path of carton travel. The marking device cooperates therewith to properly identify individual cartons just as soon as they are properly closed and before they are routed elsewhere in the egg handling plant where they may become mixed with other similar cartons.

To help explain some advantages of the disclosed closing machine, reference is again made to the two closing machines disclosed in the above-identified Carkhuff and Mumma patents. Both of these prior machines perform quite satisfactorily within a limited range, but are designed to close only particular egg cartons in which the locking flap has sufficient lateral dimensions that the upper edge thereof acts as a support for the cover of the carton to resist vertical forces. Without such a provision, the cartons upon which these two prior machines are designed to operate would not resist vertical forces adequately and would present a very undesirable possibility of egg breakage. With the carton disclosed herein, for instance, it will be remembered that the locking flap does not extend high enough to contact the planar upper surface of the carton cover, and support against vertical forces on closed cartons is supplied by the buttress rib portions 28 which are held against outward flexing by the downwardly protruding detent portions 34 positioned behind the hinge 20 of the locking flap.

In the above described patents, severe vertical forces are directed against the partly closed egg cartons to insure subsequent latching thereof. In Carkhulf, an oversped closer belt 60 frictionally engages the carton top above its front wall and presses vertically downwardly thereon sufficiently to propel the cover forwardly in relation to the bottom to compensate for cover closing plow drag and permit latching thereof. in Mumma, a bar of metal 170 or the like positioned beneath the conveyor belt subjects the carton to a vertically upward jarring force to momentarily inhibit advancement of the cart-on bottom to cause relative forward shifting of the carton cover to permit latching thereof. In both machines, the vertical forces are employed for the purpose of causing proper engagement of the latching means. Neither machine is suitable for cartons Where latching is a prerequisite for resisting vertical forces; whereas, the machine disclosed herein operates successfully with the type of cartons illustrated in the two patents as well as with the type of carton illustrated herein.

In the machine of this invention, it will be recalled that the cover guide means 82 prevents misalignment of the cover by proper pressure against the lower margin of the cover rear wall, especially at the trailing portion thereof and on the cover hinge 3%. The latching means 92, furthermore, cooperates to insure proper registry of the latching means. With the carton disclosed herein, this causes proper engagement of the detent protrusions 34 behind the locking flap hinge 2i to create proper resistance to vertical forces before the downwardly inclined portion 96 of the latch means $2 effects the final increment of downward closing motion of the carton cover. This structure closes cartons of the type illustrated in the two prior patents with equal facility, as can be appreciated.

Although the type of carton disclosed herein and the type of carton disclosed in the two prior patents have equal resistance to. vertical forces when properly closed, and all are highly satisfactory for the merchandising of fragile articles such as eggs, it is clear that the machines disclosed in the prior patents are totally unsuited to proper closure of cartons of the type disclosed herein. On the other hand, it is equally clear that the machine disclosed herein is suitable for closing egg cartons of either variety, the cooperation between the cover guide member 82 and the latching member 92 acting to effect full and proper closure without resort to vertical forces on the carton.

While the above described embodiment constitutes the preferred mode of practicing this invention, other embodiments and equivalents may be resorted to within the scope of the actual invention, which is claimed as follows.

VJ hat is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for closing cartons of the type having a bottom, a rear hinge on one side of the bottom and a front hinge on the other side of the bottom, a cover having front and rear depending side walls, the lower margin of the rear wall being connected with the bottom by the rear hinge and the lower margin of the front wall having an outwardly flanged strengthening lip, a locking fiap con nected with the bottom by the front hinge, the locking flap being adapted to lie against the inside of the front wall of the cover when the carton is in the closed condition, and cooperating latching means on the locking flap and the front wall to secure the carton in the closed condition, the apparatus comprising conveyor means connected to engage carton bottoms for moving cartons along a longitudinal path past spaced closing means, the closing means including means adjacent the longitudinal path engageable with the bottoms of the cartons during a first portion of carton travel to position the locking flaps inwardly of the position they assume in the closed carton condition and means connected to position the cover front walls essentially in the position they assume in the closed carton condition during the first portion of carton travel, means adjacent the longitudinal path to engage the lower portion of the depending front walls of the covers above the flanged strengthening lip during a subsequent portion of carton travel to shift the front walls inwardly toward the locking flaps, and means connected to impart a final increment of cover closing motion with the cover front walls shifted inwardly to effect cooperation of the latching means whereby the cartons are secured in the closed condition.

2. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 1 including means adjacent the longitudinal path connected to engage simultaneously the top of the rear hinges and the outside surface of the rear walls during the subsequent portion of carton travel comprising a longitudinally extending bar the lower side of which is adapted to overlie and engage the rear hinges and the inner side of which is adapted to engage the rear walls at their lower margins adjacent the hinges to prevent carton distortion.

3. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 2 wherein the means connected to impart the final increment of cover closing motion is spaced longitudinally from the means connected to position the locking flaps inwardly, and wherein these two means are longitudinally spanned by the means connected to engage simultaneously the rear hinges and the rear walls.

4. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 1 where in the means connected to impart the final increment of cover closing motion is spaced longitudinally from the means connected to position the locking flaps inwardly, and wherein the means connected to shift the front walls inwardly operates after the locking flaps have been positioned inwardly and before the final increment of closing motion is imparted to the covers.

5. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 4 wherein the means connected to impart the final increment of cover closing motion engages the covers above the front depending side wall and generates movement thereof to insure cooperation of the latching means on the locking flaps and the front walls to secure the cartons in the closed condition.

6. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 1 wherein the means connected to position the locking flaps inwardly includes a horizontal ledge the inner edge of which positions the locking fiaps inwardly, the lower side of which overlies and engages the front hinges, and the upper side of which spaces the cover front walls slightly above the position they asume in the closed carton condition.

7. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 1 comprising carton marking means connected to mark the closed cartons, the marking means including a wheel supported adjacent the conveyor means in the normal path of movement of the cartons to frictionally engage cartons thereon, means pivotally supporting the wheel, a marking member associated with the wheel and operable therewith, and locking means associated with the Wheel for locking the wheel from rotation in the absence of an approaching carton on the conveyor means.

3. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 1 wherein the conveyor means feeds cartons with side walls to be marked oriented forwardly as the leading side thereof, a marking head normally positioned in the feed path of cartons to be engaged by the leading side thereof, and means mounting the marking head for s'hiftable movement to a position which permits passage of cartons whereby the marking head is shifted to permit passage of cartons after the cartons have been marked.

9. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 8 wherein the means mounting the marking head for shiftable movement includes a linkage which effects movement of the head out of the feed path as the cartons being marked cause movement of the head along the feed path, and wherein the marking head includes a rollable surface which rides on the passing cartons after the cartons have been marked.

10. An apparatus for closing cartons as in claim 9 wherein the marking head includes removable type face on the rollable surface and means connected to inhibit rolling when the type face is in a predetermined position properly oriented for marking on the side walls of passing cartons.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,897 11/1938 Thayer 53131 X 2,685,768 8/1954 Mobley 53376 X 2,842,920 7/1958 Carkhuff et al. 53 377 X 2,909,880 10/1959 Mumma 53377 2,998,688 9/1961 Randles 53376 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

R. J. ALVEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING CARTONS OF THE TYPE HAVING A BOTTOM, A REAR HINGE ON ONE SIDE OF THE BOTTOM AND A FRONT HINGE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOTTOM, A COVER HAVING FRONT AND REAR DEPENDING SIDE WALLS, THE LOWER MARGIN OF THE REAR WALL BEING CONNECTED WITH THE BOTTOM BY THE REAR HINGE AND THE LOWER MARGIN OF THE FRONT WALL HAVING AN OUTWARDLY FLANGED STRENGTHENING LIP, A LOCKING FLAP CONNECTED WITH THE BOTTOM BY THE FRONT HINGE, THE LOCKING FLAP BEING ADAPTED TO LIE AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT WALL OF THE COVER WHEN THE CARTON IS IN THE CLOSED CONDITION, AND COOPERATING LATCHING MEANS ON THE LOCKING FLAP AND THE FRONT WALL TO SECURE THE CARTON IN THE CLOSED CONDITION, THE APPARATUS COMPRISING CONVEYOR MEANS CONNECTED TO ENGAGE CARTON BOTTOMS FOR MOVING CARTONS ALONG A LONGITUDINAL PATH PAST SPACED CLOSING MEANS, THE CLOSING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS ADJACENT THE LONGITUDINAL PATH ENGAGEABLE WITH THE BOTTOMS OF THE CARTONS DURING A FIRST PORTION OF CARTON TRAVEL TO POSITION THE LOCKING FLAPS INWARDLY OF THE POSITION THEY ASSUME IN THE CLOSED CARTON CONDITION AND MEANS CONNECTED TO POSITION THE COVER FRONT WALLS ESSENTIALLY IN THE POSITION THEY ASSUME IN CLOSED CARTON CONDITION DURING THE FIRST PORTION OF CARTON TRAVEL, MEANS ADJACENT THE LONGITUDINAL PATH TO ENGAGE THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DEPENDING FRONT WALLS OF THE COVERS ABOVE THE FLANGED STRENGTHENING LIP DURING A SUBSEQUENT PORTION OF CARTON TRAVEL TO SHIFT THE FRONT WALLS INWARDLY TOWARD THE LOCKING FLAPS, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO IMPART A FINAL INCREMENT OF COVER CLOSING MOTION WITH THE COVER FRONT WALLS SHIFTED INWARDLY TO EFFECT COOPERATION OF THE LATCHING MEANS WHEREBY THE CARTONS ARE SECURED IN THE CLOSED CONDITION. 